“Instituto Virgen de la Paloma” is a Public Institution devoted to education for more than 60 years. It has characterized itself for its continuous effort to give a top-quality education adapted to society demands. That is the main reason why our students are highly valued after finishing their studies successfully.

“I. Virgen de la Paloma” is situated in the capital city of Spain, Madrid, next to a big park called “Dehesa de la Villa”. It can be reached by several means of transport, and it is very near to the “Complutense” and “Politécnica” public universities and to “Antonio de Nebrija”, a private university.

Nowadays, “I. Virgen de la Paloma” has the biggest offer in Secondary and Professional Education in the autonomous region of Madrid: 12 lower secondary vocational degrees; 20 upper secondary vocational degrees; 2 upper secondary general degrees; 7 lower secondary prevocational degrees and lower secondary general degrees.

Our main educational features are:

- A personalized education, updated and based on practical bases and always following the students` demands

- Technical innovations in teaching. We have always introduced and evaluated different methodological and curricular training methods and we are introducing the current process of the new degrees in Vocational Training.

- Technical and teaching updating: We organize courses, seminars and working parties. We can also train our staff in new technologies due to our computer and multi-media means. We are also giving our support to every performance towards “Teaching Quality”. - Special attention to students with learning difficulties, participating in programmes such as PROA and “Integration of hearing-handicapped” students.

- In reference to Professional Education, we must mention our extensive experience. Further more, we are very proud of our labour relations: our students work with the latest technological and organizational innovations. This gained reputation is evident not only because 85% of our students are successfully employed but also because of the great number of companies (approximately 2,600) which collaborate with the programme of “Working-place Training”.

Students from different vocational studies participate in the technical qualification championship “World Skill International”, with very satisfactory results. This event was precisely set up at the request of our Institution. Since then, different European Institutions have summed up and has been considered an international event since the 1950s.

“I. Virgen de la Paloma” collaborates with important organizations such CISCO, so that our students of electronics and computers may apply for the CCNA and CCNP certificates.

It also participates in the Erasmus European Programme being recognized with an Erasmus University Extended Chart.

It has also set several educational activities dealing with Environmental and Equality areas.

We offer a wide programme of extracurricular activities among which we can mention: a radio worshop, our magazine “La Paloma de Papel”, painting and photograph competitions, a theatre group and a choir with a great number of successful performances not only in Spain but also abroad.

We also organize talks and exhibitions to celebrate commemorative events. Not to forget the sports activities which take place: we participate in the programme “Deporte Escolar” and we also have several federated football, basketball and volleyball teams, competing in different official categories.

All this has been achieved thanks to our teaching and non-teaching staff and its high level of teaching professional qualification and dedication.

We are grateful for being recognized as: - UNEVOC establishment since 1999. UNEVOC is the UNESCO`s teaching programme for vocational studies and just one institution per country is chosen.

- We have received the Autonomous Community Medal (silver category) in 1992 - We have been awarded with the “European Excellence Distinction” of Madrid Autonomous Community in 2006.

We want to thank the nearly 2,200 students who, year by year, rely on our educational training in order to develop as free citizens with the best qualifications which can help them achieve their personal and professional goals.